CARTERVILLE – Belleville Althoff Catholic advanced five wrestlers to the state meet next week, while Roxana put two through, and East Alton-Wood River’s Drake Champlin won the 215-pound title at the IHSA Class 1A boys wrestling sectional meet, held Saturday at Carterville High School.
The top four finishers in each class advanced to the state meet next week.
Jacobi Cobbs was the first Crusader wrestler to advance to state, finishing second at 106 pounds, losing to Aiden Evans of Vandalia 7-4, while Dawson Hawthorne placed fourth at 126 pounds, losing to Devin Ehler of Fithian Oakwood 14-0 in the third place bout. Brandon Green, Jr. of the Shells won the 132-pound division by medical forfeit over Brendan Rayl of Althoff, while Logan Riggs of the Shells finished second at 145 pounds, losing the final to Bryce Edwards of Murphysboro 12-4.
The Shells’ Lyndon Theis won the 165-pound title over Ryan Reavier of Shelbyville by medical forfeit, with Champlin winning the 215-pound championship over Keller Stocks of Mt. Zion by technical superiority 16-0. Finally, Jason Dowell won the 285-pound championship, defeating Dominic Swyers of Vandalia by fall a 1:45.
The state qualifiers will compete next week, Feb. 20-22, at the State Farm Center, on the campus of the University of Illinois, in Champaign-Urbana, with the Crusaders, who won the Roxana regional, competing in the team sectionals at Vandalia on Feb. 25. The team state finals will be held Feb. 28-Mar. 1 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
